


I Guess You're Just What I Needed

by ConsultingWriter



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Avatar the last airbender!AU, Avatar!Kageyama, Crossover, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 20:57:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5020246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConsultingWriter/pseuds/ConsultingWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kageyama Tobio, second Prince of the Fire Nation and the Avatar is sent to the Eastern Air Temple to learn airbending. While there he meets Hinata Shouyou, an airbending acolyte. Together they shape each other into who they were meant to be.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>“I am the Avatar, born of the Fire Nation, the second son of Fire Lord Kitagawa Daiichi, and you dare disrespect me?”</i></p><p> </p><p>  <i>Hinata’s lower lip jutted out in a defiant pout and he raised his head proudly, “Some Avatar, strutting around like the Air Temple owes you something, being a jerk to Master Ukai and me, well guess what. No one owes you anything, you’re going to be the Avatar, it’s your job to protect, not to be a giant…jerk!” He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest in an attempt to make himself look bigger. </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	I Guess You're Just What I Needed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Snapdragonesters](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snapdragonesters/gifts).



> This was a birthday gift to Snapdragonesters who requested Haikyuu!!/ATLA crossover and this is what came out.

Hinata Shouyou of the Eastern Air Temple knew he wasn’t supposed to be in this wing of the Citadel. He couldn’t help it though, those batty old monks were hiding something and he wanted—no, needed—to know what. The monks were always going on about virtues and peace of the inner self but they were totally lying about something, and what kind of bullshit was that?

The thing was, he was supposed to be training. He was behind the other teens his age; he was a late bloomer so he was in a class with younger airbenders. Classes were boring and hard - he had natural ability to get the air to move and dance at his will but didn’t have any talent for the controlling his moments through the stances, which were needed to master more complicated techniques.

He could hear grunts and the sound of slashing wind echoing through the Arena, an open area with a large circle in the middle that was meant for sparing matches. Slowly he inched forward to peak around the corner, in the middle of the Arena stood a shirtless man Hinata had never seen before. He was tall and tan, clearly not a monk because they all wore the same long sleeved robes and had skin that hadn’t felt the sun’s rays in decades, with dark hair and well defined muscles.

The man was going through the stances but they were choppy and harsh. The other man clearly wasn’t used to them. Even Hinata wasn’t that bad at them.

Master Ukai was standing outside of the circle with a frown on his face, “No, again, slower this time.”

The man roared, and punched the air; fire erupted from his fist. Oh. A firebender. A firebender learning airbending? Hinata paused and shrunk into the wall; the Avatar. The man standing in the center of the Arena was the Avatar. Or the future Avatar or whatever the title was—Avatar’s were only formally announced on the eve of their seventeenth birthday, it was a way to keep people from putting too much pressure on the Avatar when they were too young to handle it. But here the Avatar was, learning Airbending. He must have been a natural bender if the Master Airbenders had agreed to teach him before his announcement ceremony.

“No,” the man said voice dark and low, “I’m done for the day; this is getting me nowhere.”

Ukai sighed harshly and rubbed is forehead, obviously frustrated. He dropped his hand and rolled his head upward to stare at the ceiling. He blinked and then dropped his eyes to stare right at Hinata. Shit, he’d been caught.

“Hinata,” Master Ukai purred, lifting a hand and cocking his finger in a ‘come here’ motion, Hinata ducked his head and shuffled forward, knowing that he was in trouble.

“You’re skipping lessons again, as punishment you’re going to spend the next month running through katas with Kageyama-san for one hour every morning before meditation rings and two hours in the evening after last dinner. You both need the practice,” the last part was murmured to himself and Hinata puffed his cheeks out.

He didn’t want to do extra katas, especially not with someone who looked so scary. And Kageyama-san looked really, really, scary with his eyes narrowed and focused on Hinata and his lips twisted into a scowl.    

“I’m not going to waste my time with this dumbass.”

Hinata whirled on him, scowling, “What did you just call me?”

The Avatar started to lean towards him threateningly and Hinata shrunk in on himself but held his ground.

“I called you a dumbass, you’re a teenaged Airbender who still has to practice his katas so you’re either a dumbass or your just lazy,” his eyes narrowed at the word lazy, “so which one is it, huh?”

Hinata scowled hard and was about to give the shitty Avatar a piece of his mind but Master Ukai cut in before he could.

“You will practice with Hinata or I will pass you on to another Master,” and Hinata had to admire Ukai, he really had the whole ‘zen’ thing down to a T.

Before Kageyama-san could say anything in rebuttal another voice drifted down the halls, “Hinata-kun!”

Hinata and Ukai froze. Master Takeda was the teacher for Hinata’s class and Ukai’s oblivious love interest.

“Y-yes Master Takeda?” Hinata called, stepping away from Kageyama-san.

Master Takeda rounded to large stone pillar and stopped short of entering the Arena, arms crossed with disappointed expression stretched his face.

“Hinata-kun,” he began his gentle admonishment, “you know you aren’t supposed to be here, not only are you skipping lessons, you’ve defied explicit instructions. What’s gotten into you today?”

Hinata shifted from one foot to the other, feeling uncomfortably guilty under the weight of his teacher’s stare.

Master Takeda sighed, “Come then, Hinata-kun, mid-day meditation is about to start, we can run through today’s katas during the break and then you can go to lunch.”

Hinata bowed his head and made to follow his teacher, wincing slightly as Ukai called after him, “Don’t think this means you’re off the hook Hinata; be in the south courtyard tomorrow morning!”

Hinata stopped and gave Ukai a bow as well, a demonstration that he respected the other matter and would abide his command.

Running through the katas over and over and over again was boring but Hinata did it with as little complaint as he could muster and worked hard, listening to Master Takeda’s every instruction and correction. To master airbending he had to master every stance and motion, and the only way to do that was to practice until he got it right.

Morning came way too early for Hinata but he dragged himself out of bed anyway and lazily pulled on his pants and shawl but forwent the yellow shirt. It was too humid in the morning to don the long sleeved shirt but it would be indecent to go without covering on his upper-body.

He checked himself over in the small mirror that hung in the communal bathroom to make sure his shawl was laying right on his shoulders and paused to look at his thick shock of orange hair. He wasn’t far enough in his training yet to shave his head as per tradition but one day he would be and his hair would be gone. It wasn’t that he was particularly attached to his hair, it was what it was, but it reminded him a lot of his sister Natsu, who he hadn’t seen since he’d left home to live in the Air Temple.

After a moment of staring he shook his head and turned away to wash his hands, he was going to be late if he didn’t get a move on.

Kageyama-san was standing in the courtyard stretching as Hinata sprinted, barefoot, across the stone pathways in an attempt to beat the sunrise.

“About time, dumbass,” the Avatar murmured as he reached his hands towards the sky to stretch his arms out.

“Shut up,” Hinata sniped bending in half and grabbing the backs’ of his ankles, deciding that he might as well stretch himself.

“Eh?” Kageyama-san asked, whipping around to glare at Hinata. He flung out a hand and grabbed Hinata’s head, clamping down hard and squeezing.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” Hinata chanted, “Let go asshole! Bakageyama!”

At the nick name the other let him go and stared at him in disbelief, “What did you just call me?”

“Bakageyama!” Hinata repeated petulantly, rubbing at his sore head.

Kageyama-san drew himself up and stood tall, back ramrod straight and shoulders held proudly, “I am the Avatar, born of the Fire Nation, the second son of Fire Lord Kitagawa Daiichi, and you dare disrespect me?”

Hinata’s lower lip jutted out in a defiant pout and he raised his head proudly, “Some Avatar, strutting around like the Air Temple owes you something, being a jerk to Master Ukai and me, well guess what. No one owes you anything, you’re going to be the Avatar, it’s your job to protect, not to be a giant…jerk!” He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest in an attempt to make himself look bigger.

The Avatar stared at him for a long moment before dropping his eyes to the ground, “Sorry,” he apologized quietly.

Hinata brightened at the apology and dropped his arms, “It’s okay! Just don’t be an asshole to everyone and you’ll be fine, now come on! If Master Ukai finds out we aren’t practicing he’s going to make me muck out the bison bay again.”

The bison bay was a medical bay where sick flying bison were quarantined away from the rest and was overall a nasty place to have to clean.

Kageyama-san cocked his head to the side, blinked once, twice, three times, before nodding his head. What a cute confused face. He pushed that thought out of his head as quickly as he could.

“Let’s run through the basic set,” Hinata bubbled instead, trying to focus on the fact that he had someone his age—that was his skill level!—to practice with.

Kageyama-san nodded and they turned to face each other, standing four feet apart, and slowly worked their way through the stances, fixing each other’s errors as they moved. Again and again and again they practiced; focusing on the drills through morning meditation and breakfast. Only the call to class caused Hinata to stop. Hinata relaxed his stance at the sound of the gong and took three deeps breaths, letting air fill his lungs and breathing it all out through his nose. After he was done he tilted his head down at Kageyama-san, the first sign of proper respect that he’d given the Avatar, “May your day go well,” he wished the other.

Kageyama-san inclined his head and wished him well in return and Hinata wanted to squeak. How had this man gone from being a giant asshole to being pleasant and respectful in the span of an hour?

With a wave Hinata turned and left for class, leaving Kageyama-san to do whatever it was that Avatars did.

Days seemed to go faster after that, training with Kageyama-san—“Just Kageyama, dumbass,”—in the mornings and evenings, classes during the day, and cleaning the Temple on the weekends all seemed to blur together in an unnoticeable tick of time. Before Hinata even knew it, his month of extra training sessions was up but still he and Kageyama continued; going through the stances so often was helping both of them improve, though Kageyama was better. Hinata had to wonder if he was just naturally talented as a bender or if it was some sort of Avatar magic.

They didn’t only see each other at practice though, After a week of practicing together Hinata was seeking out Kageyama to drag him to eat lunch with him. Dinner was the same, which turned into Hinata dragging the other boy along with him while he did weekend chores; Kageyama always complained, called Hinata a dumbass, and usually grabbed at his head or punched his in the shoulders at least three times before the end of the day, but he still stuck around and helped Hinata with his chores. Hinata felt a little warmer in the pit of his stomach with every passing week he spent with the other boy. Before long the only time they were seen apart was when Hinata was in class and Kageyama was learning… whatever it was that Avatars learned, and the red head couldn’t imagine having it any other way. He’d never had a best friend before and Kageyama filled that role perfectly, even if it was with grumpiness and slight hesitation.

The day Kageyama first managed to go through a stance set perfectly, without the firebender aggression that was infused in every movement he made, was also the day that the Easter Air Temple also received a gloomy messenger, some three months later.

Hinata wouldn’t hear what it was about for another two years, but what he did know was that one warm summer day before the approaching solstice, a Fire Nation air ship docked in the Air Temple’s port and Kageyama didn’t show up for their evening training session. Or the one after that, or the next, or any other session no matter how many days Hinata showed up at the court yard in the mornings and evenings.

It was Master Ukai who caught him one evening some two weeks later, meditating in the court yard and waiting—hoping—for Kageyama to come. The Master Airbender heaved a sigh and squatted down next to Hinata, propping a gently head on his orange locks, “Hinata-kun,” he began gently and Hinata immediately tensed. Ukai never used ‘kun’ for him; it was always just his name and usually huffed in fond annoyance.

“He’s not coming back.”

Hinata swallowed and tried to play dumb, “Who’s not coming back?”

Master Ukai tugged on his hair gently in admonishment, “You know who. The Fire Lord fell ill four weeks ago, it doesn’t look good.”

At the news, Hinata drew his knees up to his chest. Even if the Fire Lord had succumbed to his sickness the week Kageyama left, it would still be months before Kageyama would return. Funerals, coronations, the instability and unrest that always followed the placement of a new Lord; it was a mess that took ages to untangle.

Still, though, maybe he would come back afterwards. Hinata could wait, could keep training and improving on his own. He smiled at the thought, Kageyama would be so pissed that Hinata had gotten better while the Avatar had stayed stagnant.

He didn’t ask himself why proving himself to Kageyama was so important, but it was.

As if he could read Hinata’s thoughts Ukai frowned, “Hinata,” he began softly, “Kageyama probably won’t be coming back to the Easter Air Temple, he wasn’t learning as fast as his father or the Fire Nation chancellors wanted him to. There’s a possibility that when everything with his father is settled, he may resume his studies at one of the other temples.”

He didn’t know it was possible for him to curl any tighter on himself then he was, but the thought that he may never see Kageyama again had his shoulders tightening down together and his spine curved, trying to shape into a ball.

“Come on,” Master Ukai said, slapping Hinata on the back, “Let’s see if all that extra practice has paid off.”

If the smug look on Master Ukai’s face was anything to go by, he had. With another slap to his back, Ukai let out a laugh and congratulated him on the improvement.

“If you keep it up,” he said slyly, “I might suggest to Master Takeda that we move you up into the next class.”

“Really?” Hinata asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet excitedly.

“Absolutely,” Master Ukai confirmed.

Hinata wanted to combust. If practicing two hours more a day for three months had led to such a big improvement, what would four more hours a day do? He was going to blow Kageyama away, maybe even literally, when he got back.

Because he would come back, Hinata just knew it.

He knew it deep within himself for two long years, could feel that truth tucked in between his beating heart and the solid bones of his rib cage. The news of The Avatar’s return to the Eastern Air Temple (after leaving the first time everyone had been sure he’d resume his studies in Airbending at one of the other Temples—the Western Air Temple was the rumored choice) was a vindication for Hinata.

When Master Ukai, who had long taken over Hinata’s training, had grudgingly informed Hinata of Kageyama’s return, Hinata had simply smirked. Knowing that he was right all along, that he was justified in his steadfast belief in Kageyama, was more than enough for him; he didn’t need to gloat.

Ukai had rolled his and changed the subject, flicking a lock of Hinata’s hair away from his forehead. It had only been a few months since Hinata had been named a Master Airbender and he’d already let his hair grow back. He had shaved his head during his advanced training but once his tattoos had healed he immediately started letting his hair grow back—he had hated the way he looked bald, had hated losing that last connection to his family—and had made the decision to wear it in a similar fashion to female airbenders.

Instead of shaving his head completely he trimmed the hair back farther on his forehead, enough to let the arrow’s head show, and pinned the rest of the hair to the side. It was a nice compromise, if he did say so himself, he could keep his hair and display his tattoos as airbenders should.

“When are you going to act like the Master you are and shave that head of yours?” he asked.

“I look awesome like this,” Hinata pouted but quickly got his thoughts back on track, “When is Kageyama coming?”

Ukai sighed, “Hinata, you can’t call him that anymore, he’s been officially announced as the Avatar and you need to show him proper respect.”

The pout morphed into a frown. Kageyama had told Hinata time and time again to drop the ‘-san.’ On the other hand, that was two years ago and Kageyama could have changed his mind after so long; could have changed in so many ways.

Hinata swallowed, throat tight, at the thought but nodded his head. Just because Kageyama had been his friend two years ago didn’t mean that he was still the same boy Hinata had known. He certainly wasn’t the same boy Kageyama had known; he was more patient, more dependable, and less likely to fly off the handle at any provocation.

“He’ll be arriving on the night before the Air Festival, and the Temple will be holding a feast in honor of his arrival, as a Master you are, of course, expected to come.”

“Of course I’m going,” Hinata replied incredulously. He wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Master Ukai grinned widely, “Good, that’s good, because you’re going to teach Kageyama-san airbending.”

Hinata spluttered, wide eyed, “W-what? But I haven’t tried to teach anyone yet!”

Ukai looked unimaginably amused, “Indeed, but, Kageyama-san improved greatly while working with you so the elders and a handful of the Masters who worked with the Avatar previously have decided that you would be the best person to work with him.”

The thought that the Avatar would be his first apprentice was both terrifying and thrilling; on one hand he was going to be teaching the Avatar airbending, but on the other, he was going to be teaching _the Avatar_ airbending.

The night of the feast Hinata scrubbed himself until his skin felt raw and brushed his hair carefully, styling it and pinning it away from his face carefully. Making a good impression on Kageyama-san, and it was hard to get used to calling him that again, was an absolute must. With that in mind he pulled his robes on carefully, smoothing his hands down his robes to try to smooth out any wrinkles in the fabric.

The hall was crowded with foreign dignitaries, monks and benders alike as well as people from the lower villages. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothes; jewelry decorated those who didn’t live in the Temple and Hinata watched, a little dazed, as diamonds and sapphires caught the evening light and threw rainbows across the room.

Hinata spotted Kageyama-san at the head table where the most important of the important people sat, looking bored and vaguely irritated (though Hinata couldn’t tell if the Avatar was honestly irritated or if that was still just the way his face looked) and Hinata wanted to go over and start a conversation but didn’t; knew he shouldn’t. Was too nervous to even if he could, how could he face Kageyama-san knowing that he would be Hinata’s student by the end of the night? Would it change their relationship? Cause Kageyama-san to resent him in some way?

Instead he crossed the room and settled in his typical seat at the second table beside Master Takeda and across from Master Ukai.

His old teacher gave him a warm smile and squeezed his shoulder gently, “You’ll be fine, be easy Hinata.”

Hinata nodded and took a deep breath, smoothing down his robes once more. Before long the head of the Temple called the room to order.

“As you all know,” he began, words drawn out and important, “we are gathered here for the announcing of the Avatar, Prince Kageyama Tobio of the Fire Nation!”

The sound of the crowd’s roar was defining and the head let them ride it out before speaking again, “Now I bid you, let the feast begin!”

Food was brought in by acolytes and benders who had declined to take part in the feast. Hinata picked a few pieces of fruits and, under Takeda’s chastising stare, added an ear of bluecorn to his plate of fruit. He ate quietly, stealing glances at Kageyama-san every once in a while, content to listen to Ukai and Takeda bicker back and forth; two years later and Ukai still hadn’t mustered up the courage to ask Takeda out. Hinata would have found it funny if he didn’t find it so sad.

After the main course was finished with the head of the Temple stood up once more, “Before we start dessert, I have one more announcement to make,” the crowd hushed immediately, listening attentively to what the head had to say, “Many of you are wondering who the Avatar’s Master will be.”

It was like everyone in the room was holding their breath in anticipation, younger Master, like Hinata, where shifting subtly in their seats while older Masters waited patiently. Ukai was smirking, hands folded peacefully in his lap, and Takeda was beaming brightly beside Hinata; not that anyone else in the room noticed.

“Master Hinata Shouyou, will you please rise?”

Heads craned as everyone but the Temple dwellers tried to find the distinguished Master who would have the honor of teaching the Avatar.

When he stood, instead of the grey bearded sage they expected, the room went even quieter if possible. Not even the sound of the wind rustling the leaves of the trees in the garden could be heard.

“This boy is going to train the Avatar?” A voice boomed, echoing off every nook and cranny in the high vaulted room. Hinata didn’t know who it was or where it came from within the room but his shoulders hunched in on his body and he shrunk in on himself.

Tension thickened the air and as badly as Hinata wanted to throw his shoulders back proudly and proclaim that, _yes_ he _was_ the one who was going to train the Avatar, he couldn’t do it; couldn’t muster up the courage in the face of the fear of the unknown attacker.

The sound of a chair scrapping across the tile of the floor drew everyone’s eyes away from him. It was Kageyama-san, standing proudly—a man where Hinata had once known a boy. He’d thought that the firebender had been muscular and tall when they were fifteen but Kageyama-san at seventeen blew that boy away—with his eyes locked in on the man who had protested the Head’s pronouncement.

“Yes,” he said—and shit, what the actual fuck, how was Kageyama-san’s voice deeper than it had been two years ago?—staring the man with an intensity that made Hinata’s insides quiver with a strange sensation, “He will be.”

No one had the daring to argue with the decision and slowly people started to clap half-heartedly for Hinata.

He waved and smiled nervously before haltingly sitting down in his chair. Kageyama-san turned to look at him for a moment before gracefully sinking down into his chair as well.

The feast resumed with the arrival of dessert and continued without a hitch well into the night. Hinata would never know how well it went, however, because he snuck away as soon as the dinner officially came to a closer after the drinking of an evening tea.

Cool night air wafted into his bedroom and Hinata sat on his bed heavily. Kageyama-san seemed to accept him as his teacher, which was a relief, but somehow Hinata still felt the heat of Kageyama’s heavy gaze settling over him and it left him with trembling knees.

He flopped back against his bed and rubbed his hands roughly over his face. That stare had made him feel unsteady but he wasn’t sure why. He remembered feeling off balance and strange when sometimes, when his hand or shoulder would brush against Kageyama’s or when he would catch the other boy’s gaze but he’d never felt like this.

A knock at him and he shot up on his bed and stumbled over to the door, tugging on his robes to pull them back into place.

It was Kageyama-san on the other side and Hinata quickly bowed to him.

“Cut that out dumbass,” Kageyama-san grumped and swatted him in the head.

Hinata straightened and rubbed at the back of his head, glaring at the Avatar all the while, “Come in, Kageyama-san,” he said instead, determined to maintain his dignity as a Master Airbender.

The other frowned at the title but stepped inside, “What’s with the honorific, dumbass?”

Hinata averted his eyes to stare at the ground beside his feet instead, “You’ve been officially pronounced as the Avatar, Kageyama-san, it’s only proper.”

He could practically hear Kageyama-san gritting his teeth, “Fine then, Master Hinata, I would like to start lessons right away.”

Hinata shifted from one foot to the other, uncomfortable with the way the title sounded on Kageyama-san’s tongue. Was this what the Avatar felt when Hinata added the honorific?

“Of course,” Hinata said instead of contemplating that thought any longer and closed the door behind the other, drawing them farther into his room, “If I could review your stances?”

Kageyama-san nodded tersely and moved through the katas. The movements were too quick and forceful. He’d reverted back to firebending his way through the air stances.

“Stop,” Hinata demanded, walking around to stand behind Kageyama-san’s back. “You’re too tense here,” he placed his hands on the backs of the other’s shoulder blades and smoothed them down his arms as far as he could, “You need to relax, it’s only me,” and you know me, Kageyama, you don’t have to impress me. It was on the tip of his tongue but he didn’t say it. It would’ve been inappropriate.

Being so close he could feel the breath Kageyama-san took, back expanding to brush against Hinata’s chest and were all firebenders so warm? Or was it just Kageyama-san?

He could feel the other relax under his touch and it caused Hinata to relax as well.

“Hinata,” Kageyama-san whispered.

“Yeah?” Hinata whispered just as quietly, head falling against Kageyama-san’s strong back; his head didn’t even reach Kageyama-san’s shoulders anymore. He’d stopped growing after he reached sixteen, but apparently Kageyama-san hadn’t had the same problem.

“I fucking missed you.”

Hinata swallowed, hands tightening unconsciously around Kageyama’s—simply Kageyama, because he couldn’t distance himself from the other in this way any longer—biceps, “I missed you too, every day.”

He swallowed, took a deep breath, and swallowed again, “I waited for you for weeks after you left, I didn’t know you’d even gone, you didn’t say good bye, until Master Ukai told me about it.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want to say goodbye and I didn’t know what else to say,” one of his arms folded inward and he caught Hinata’s hand in his own.

It was large and warm and Hinata didn’t have a clue what they were doing but he was okay, more than okay, with it.

Kageyama was warm and solid under Hinata’s head and he wanted to stay exactly where he was for as long as he could.

The moment ended far too soon when Kageyama pulled away with a stuttered, “A-anyways, I’m going to try again, I’m just a little rusty.”

Hinata fell back and simply observed. The second time was so much better than the first. Hinata was a little stunned by it. Could Kageyama have been nervous? Was that what caused such tenseness?

When the set was done he dropped his stance and turned to face Hinata, who blinked at the look of focus on Kageyama’s face.

“Hinata,” he said seriously, but paused and tried again, “Master Hinata.”

Hinata cut him off with a shake of his head, “Don’t, don’t call me that Kageyama.”

He couldn’t explain the tightness in his throat the squeezed off his airway at the way Kageyama called him Master but he didn’t like it at all.

“Hinata, I,” he reached out for him and Hinata was drawn to him the way he’d always been. He walked forward, lifting a hand to press his finger tips to Kageyama’s briefly before letting it drop.

“What is it, Bakageyama?” Hinata teased gently after a moment, drawing closer still. He was so close to Kageyama that they brushed against each other with every breath they took and he could feel the caress of air over his face every time Kageyama exhaled. He held Kageyama’s gaze and his own breath as Kageyama bit his bottom lip.

It made him look insecure and Hinata felt his heart twist inside his chest. Someone as powerful as Kageyama, who was the freaking Avatar for crying out loud, should never look as fragile as he did in that moment.

“I’m an idiot,” the other breathed after a stretch of shaky silence.

“I already knew that, but okay,” Hinata giggled, “what are you being an idiot about this time?”

“You.”

Hinata blinked and cocked his head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“I shouldn’t,” he stopped for a quick beat but continued forward, “I shouldn’t want to touch you the way that I do.”

“How do you want to touch me,” it was barely a whisper but Kageyama heard it anyway.

“Like a lover would.”

Hinata sucked in a sharp breath at the admission and felt dizzy. Suddenly he needed it; needed those big, rough hands on him, to feel the heat of Kageyama’s skin on his tongue.

“The only thing that’s stupid about that,” Hinata said in a strangled voice and Kageyama’s shoulders started to drop but Hinata pushed on, “Is that you aren’t.”

Kageyama froze and stared at Hinata with wide eyes, “What?”

“Touch me, Bakageyama,” Hinata demanded, raising his arms to wrap them around Kageyama’s neck.

Those big hands came up to wrap around his hips tightly, pulling him impossibly closer to Kageyama’s body.

Hinata sighed, breathing in Kageyama’s scent—it was warm and smoky, like the fireplace on a cool winter night—and rested his head on the broad chest in front of him. He could feel the heat of Kageyama’s hands through the layers of his robes and he wondered dimly through his contentedness what those hands would feel like directly on his skin.

After a moment of sedated touching—Kageyama rubbing circular motions on his hips while he nuzzled into Kageyama’s chest—Hinata pulled away. The Avatar frowned but stayed where he was when Hinata held up a finger, silently telling him to wait.

Slowly Hinata untied his robes and let the fall to the floor in a crumpled heap, too busy keeping eye contact with Kageyama to pay attention to the state of his clothing. Once he was bare he stepped forward again and caught Kageyama’s hands in his own, directing them to his hips once more.

The heat of those hands was like scorching, like fire blazing across his skin spreading over his body and into his veins until his heart beat sounded like Kageyama’s name. Hinata gasped and couldn’t control the way his head snapped back; it was sensual in a way that Hinata had never known a touch could be and even though it was only Kageyama’s hands his knees wanted to quake at it.

He let his eyes fall shut, waiting for Kageyama to do something. He didn’t, his hands stayed, frozen, on Hinata’s hips and when the red head listened close enough he could tell that the other had even stopped breathing.

“Bakageyama,” Hinata whispered, keeping his eyes shut, “Do something before I start to think that you don’t want me.”

He meant it as a joke but some of the real vulnerability he was feeling leaked out. His body wasn’t like Kageyama’s, toned, tanned; a powerhouse of strength and ability. Instead he was short, thin, and pale from the traditional robes he wore.

“Dumbass,” was the gruff reply, “Of course I want you, you’re the only one who likes bending as much as I do.”

Something about the way he said it made Hinata look at Kageyama. The other’s face was flushed red and he was looking at the wall to his left but his hands had tightened around Hinata’s hips, as if he was afraid the other would pull away from him.

“Is that the only reason?” Hinata pushed. He knew it wasn’t all, couldn’t be, but he needed to hear it from Kageyama anyway.

“No,” the answer was exhaled, “it’s also because you’re talented and funny and you understand why I want to practice as much as possible and you don’t expect me to be anything other than myself,” he took a breath and kept going, Hinata blushed harder and harder with every word and he could feel the flush creeping down his neck and onto his chest, “and you’re amazing and beautiful and talented and you aren’t smart but that’s okay because I’m not either and we’ll get by and, and, and,” he seemed, finally, at a loss for words.

“And I love you.”

Hinata froze at the admittance, swallowed at the way Kageyama’s face scrunched up at the admittance, and threw himself into Kageyama’s arms.

“I love you, too,” Hinata admitted.

They stayed quiet after that, content to let that hang in the air.

Hinata turned in Kageyama’s arms and pulled him towards the open window with its curtains fluttering in the evening breeze. His room was on the top floor and overlooked the koi pond, so he didn’t worry about anyone seeing his nude form or the fact that he was wrapped in the Avatar’s arms.

He fit perfectly into Kageyama’s body, his back fitted to the other’s lower chest and stomach, and he let his head loll to the side to rest against Kageyama’s strong chest. The hands that had a hold of his hips slid around to wrap completely around his waist instead, cocooning Hinata in Kageyama’s larger frame.

“Mastering Airbending isn’t going to be easy, you know,” Hinata finally said, breaking their silence.

“Yeah,” Kageyama grunted, burrowing his nose into Hinata’s hair.

“It’s going to take some time.”

“That’s fine.”

“Where will you go afterwards?”

It was too soon to be talking about the future, but Hinata couldn’t help but think about it. What was he going to do when Kageyama left?

“South Pole, probably, have to learn waterbending and Master Ukai already said that he knew someone who could teach me the last time I was here.”

Hinata nodded and stayed silent. He couldn’t just demand Kageyama stay with him, he was the Avatar, traveling the world and keeping the peace was his job.

Hinata snorted to himself at that thought.

Kageyama bumped him in the temple with his chin, “What?” He demanded.

Hinata snorted again, “You’re going to be such a bad mediator; you’re no good with people.”

Kageyama fell silent for a minute and Hinata worried that he’d upset the other, almost apologized for saying something like that, but Kageyama spoke again before he could.

“I know,” the other admitted, “that’s why…” he trailed off, “shit, I was going to ask you later,” it sounded like Kageyama was talking more to himself at that point, “but then I didn’t expect you to be a Master yet, but,” he cleared his throat, “people like you, you’re good with them, so I was going to ask you if maybe you’d like to go with me when I leave, I know you said you wanted to see the world.”

Hinata was struck dumb by the proposition. He must of stayed quiet for too long because Kageyama started to panic, attempting to take back what he’d said.

“You don’t have to, I just thought I’d ask, I—”

Hinata cut him off by spinning around in his hold and throwing his arms around Kageyama’s neck, “Yes, of course I’m going with you.”

He pulled back and shot the other a sly look, “You’d probably start wars if I let you go by yourself.”

Kageyama pulled him in close, “So we’ll be Avatar-ing partners then?”

Hinata giggled happily, “You’ll be the brawn and I’ll be the brain.”

It was Kageyama’s turn to snort at that, “You’ll be something, but it definitely won’t be the brain.”

Hinata lifted up and head butted him gently in the chest, “Dick,” he nuzzled into the spot he’d just abused; “of course I’ll be your partner.”

Kageyama pressed a kiss against his forehead, “The spirit,” he said to himself, so much so that Hinata barely heard him, “I’ll be the brawn and you’ll be the spirit of the Avatar.”

One couldn’t be without the other, Hinata knew, and he was okay with that comparison. It fit them perfectly.

**Author's Note:**

> This may end up getting more but I'm not sure yet.  
> Let me know what you think!
> 
> My tumblr is NoSwordsForLittleDragons.tumblr.com


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